The Newfoundland Vampire
Book One:
Charles O'Keefe
Genre: Horror
Paranormal
Vampire
Publisher: Penumbra Publishing
ISBN: 978-1935563853
ASIN: B007TRWUCS
Number of pages: 224
Word Count: 86,737
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Book Description:
Like every other geek alive, Newfoundland native Joseph O'Reily secretly wants to be a superhero. At thirteen he fantasized about being a vampire, and ten years later he's still fantasizing - but mostly about a beautiful redheaded woman who has eyes only for him. The one thing different about Joseph's adult fantasy is that, amazingly, it comes true one night when he goes to a local university pub. Cassandra Snow, literally the woman of his dreams, invites him to her place for an evening of personal pleasure. Of course he's not going to say no. But when strange things start happening afterward, Joseph quickly learns that not all dreams should come true.
My Review:
I received a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.
Joseph O'Reily is a college student who just enjoys life and going to school to earn his degree. Joe is a geeky guy who loves Star Trek, Harry Potter, Batman and a lot of other fictional characters. He likes roll playing and hangs out with a bunch of his friends at least once a week to do a little roll playing. Joe has also fantasized about being a vampire for most of his life not ever knowing that one day he would meet a vampire and have his dream come true.
Becoming a vampire is not the only dream that Joe has had. He has dreamed of and wanted a girlfriend but I guess with him being a geeky kind of guy it just has never worked out or he probably just has never met anyone whom he felt he could trust or that would like the same things that he does. But Joe is in for a big surprise one night while at a bar when a very good looking redheaded woman ask him to go home with her for a wild night together.
Joe starts getting this craving for blood and wonders what is happening to him. This blood craving also makes him start to question his new girlfriend Cassandra. He starts to wonder who and what she is and what she has done to him. The blood craving starts to really get next to Joe because the only thing that he knows of that craves or drinks blood are vampires and they are not real. Vampires are only fictional characters in movies or books or are they?
But by the time he gets around to asking Cassandra if she is a vampire and if she has turned him into one he has started to deal with it and thinks it is kind of cool. Beside he doesn't want to lose the only girlfriend he has ever had either. But Joe is a real cool dude who is laid back and just accepts whatever life deals out to him most of the time that is if it is no big deal.
Joe learns later on that Cassandra has turned him into a vampire because she needs him to help her kill her husband and maker, John Snow. John Snow was a very mean person when he was alive and is even meaner dead. He can and does get away with a lot more as a vampire than he did as a human. For years now all he has done is terrify Cassandra and killed any human that she has turned into a vampire so that they could help her kill him. But old Joe may be a little bit geeky but he also knows how to fight and use a sword as well. With all the lessons that Joe has taken in his life ole John may just be in for the surprise of his life.
I liked that the only thing about Joe that changed after he became a vampire was the fact that he liked to drink blood or more like had to drink it to survive not that he really wanted to drink it he just had now choice. I like to that he kept his humanity too. He still knew and wanted to do what was right. Even though he was a new, young vampire he didn't want to hurt or kill a human or an animal and he had self-control where some other young vampire may not or didn't want to have control. I liked how when a human was turned into a vampire they still acted or did the same things as they did when they were human whether they were good or evil.
I would recommend The Newfoundland Vampire to anyone who loves to read about vampires and would like a new twist on vampires. The Newfoundland Vampire will take you down a road filled with love, madness, evil, killing with a little bit of humor thrown in.
Author Interview:
What inspired you to write "The Newfoundland Vampire"?
First off, Hi Nancy and thanks for being a part of my blog tour, I appreciate it.
The Newfoundland Vampire was inspired by a couple of things, encouragement from friends, another friend who also published a book before me but mainly by the fascination I have with vampires and a desire to say something to the world. I listened to an interview with R.A. Salvatore (not that I'm a fan of his) and he talked about how great being an author was, it appealed to me so much and I got motivated. I also wanted to explore how my life might have turned out different if I had made different choices (the main character is strongly based on myself) and if vampires were real how to explore them in a somewhat realistic (and yet very different) way.
When or at what age did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I've always been creative, I started doing short stories when I was around 11 I guess. A writer though, well that was much more recent. I'd say I realized I wanted to be a writer at 34. I had worked at several jobs (I was a teacher for 3 years and a student assistant for 3 years, among other things for shorter periods) and when I realized I was stuck at a job I really hated (some of the time anyway) I tried to find a way out (which sadly didn't happen but is still a wonderful passion to pursue).
What is the earliest age you remember reading your first book?
Excellent question! Well I guess I would have been 10. It was called Gilipin's Space by Reginald Brentor and my grandmother gave it to me, it was a good book and I still have it.
What genre of books do you enjoy reading?
I used to read a lot of Sci-Fi but I got tired of them (occasionally I do read some though). Mainly I enjoy horror (vampires in particular). I really enjoy short-stories and quite like collections of them. I do also like non-fiction for a change of pace and I have read a fair bit about World War II and some Newfoundland history.
What is your favorite book?
Oh another tough one! It's tempting to pick one of my own books but that's just being an ego-manic. There's a book I read for a course in university called "Mists of Avalon" by Marion Zimmer Bradley, I would pick that one. It has everything I want in a book, action, intrigue, sex, strong characters, good twists, magic, an engaging story and a satisfying ending. It turns the Arthurian legend on its ear and tells it from the female perspective over a number of years, it's an epic tale of almost 1000 pages but I read in less than 4 days. It's the quickest time I ever read a book and it brings me back to a happy time in my life.
You know I think we all have a favorite author. Who is your favorite author and why?
I've always been fascinated with Ernest Hemingway. While I love his writing I certainly haven't read all of his books. It's his personality and lifestyle I love the most (though not every aspect of it), I feel a connection with him that's hard to explain. I've visited one of his houses in Key West many times (and a hotel room he stayed at in Cuba). Things like how he had such a great love for cats (and ended up with his own breed after he died) that he left money in his will so that they would be cared for (and their descendants) forever. He loved animals but yet he hunted and killed them in Africa. He is ultimately a tragic figure (he killed himself at 61) and we're left to wonder what else he would have done. What would his writing had been like if he hadn't been so depressed? Did his drinking affect his writing? These questions and others are forever unanswered and he remains a mystery to me.
If you could travel back in time here on earth to any place or time. Where would you go and why?
You don't ask the easy ones do you? Hmm I would have to pick July 21st, 1969 at NASA Mission control in Florida to see Neil Armstrong walking on the moon for the first time. I've always been a lover of science-fiction and that moment in time is when for millions of people (sadly I wasn't alive to watch it on TV) we truly showed what we could accomplish as a human race. Of course the sceptic in me has always wondered if that particular time could have been fake, I'd certainly like to know the answer for certain. I feel while the human race has done plenty of other amazing things in history for me this is the most pivotal moment, nothing we've done since has the same meaning. Since then we've been mostly stuck on our planet and squandered much of our potential but for that moment it must have been such joy, such a wonderful dream come true. If I could, I would have been on the moon with them both but that's outside the confines of your question.
When writing a book do you find that writing comes easy for you or is it a difficult task?
Well my first book took me 8 years to write…well with a gap of 7 years while I just thought about it and life went on. Seriously though I'm lucky that I've never suffered with writer's block, I'm not a really fast writer but I'm consistent. So while I don't find writing hard, editing is a nightmare! While I've gotten a bit better I still find it very difficult and I'm incredibly grateful to have a wonderful editor (Pat at Penumbra Publishing) and the input from some friends.
Do you have any little fuzzy friends? Like a dog or a cat? Or any pets?
I love animals, in fact book 1 is dedicated to one of my cat's (Frank) and book 2 to another (Jude). Sadly Frank is no longer with us but I still have Jude (male, black) and another cat Esther (female, orange, tabby). I can't imagine living in a house without at least 1 cat, they are certainly my favorite pet.
What is your "to die for", favorite food/foods to eat?
Unfortunately I love a lot of food, so there's a few on my list. Number one (believe it or not) would be freshly squeezed orange juice from a place in Florida called Hales. It is incredibly delicious and the first thing I get when I go down there. Number two would be popcorn, when it's hot and has just right amount of butter (not margarine!) it is also delicious (I usually have it at least twice a week). For a not so healthy option I love this cheezie-like treat called ChedACorn (here it's still by Humpty Dumpy). As I told a co-worker its nothing but cheese, corn meal and fat but it is ever tasty!
I love Ferrero Rocher chocolates (especially around Christmas). Carrot juice (I can never make it as good as the supermarket brand). A properly made Tempeh burger, French fries (not deep-fried), almond milk (chocolate is best), ketchup chips, homemade banana bread, homemade pumpkin-nut-chocolate chip cookies (very hard to find), homemade pumpkin pie, homemade carrot cake, Woodchuck Hard apple cider (amber) and most kinds of red wine. There's other stuff but that's enough, generally while I enjoy healthy snacks I have big weakness for chips, chocolates and cookies.
Do you have any advice for anyone that would like to be an author?
I'd tell them to stick with it but be prepared for some reality checks. I thought before my first book came out that if I worked really hard at promotion and selling that I could quit my job and just write, it doesn't work that way. Like most things in life you have to put in time and effort and then be patient (and if you want to just write get REALLY lucky). I would also say if you enjoy writing then try to focus not on financial reward but in other non-tangible things like the feeling of seeing your first book on the shelf, getting a great review, meeting a fan, signing your first autograph, going to conventions as a guest and of course getting that first (however small) paycheck. Now there are so many ways to publish (or just put on a website) that as long as you can handle some negative feedback (and you will get it) I encourage anyone who loves to write and create to do it.
Thanks for some great questions, it was fun!
The Newfoundland Vampire
Book II: Killer on the Road
Charles O'Keefe
Genre: Horror / Paranormal / Romance / Vampire
Publisher: Penumbra Publishing
Date of Publication: August 31, 2013
ISBN-10: 1938758293
ISBN-13: 978-1938758294
ASIN: B00EWTYM3G
Number of pages: 193
Word Count: 74,020
Cover Artist: Nils Dannemann
Book Description:
Joseph O'Reily is still adjusting to the lifestyle and the dangers that come with being a new vampire. He and Cassandra recently fought to the death with Cassandra's estranged husband John Snow, and now Joseph has experienced his first ménage a trios, as only a vampire can. As if all of this was not complicated enough, he and Cassandra have been tasked with hunting down and killing a rogue vampire, Donald Rathmore.
Another of John Snow's creations, Donald is an evil misogynistic killer in his own right. Donald has no interest in avenging his creator's death, but killing Cassandra is at the top of his list.
While Donald continues his murderous spree, Joseph and Cassandra always seem to be one step behind him. The chase is further complicated as they encounter other vampires and learn more about the mysterious nature of the Vampire Council and the coming war between good and evil.
Joseph is only now beginning to trust Cassandra, and this trust will be shaken when he discovers she has even more secrets than he imagined. Her idea of justice and morality is at complete odds with his own. Despite all his powers and growing skill, Joseph is tested physically as a vampire and emotionally by Cassandra. This time the answers and challenges may be too much for the young vampire to handle.
Prologue
My Bonny Lies Over the Ocean
Anne Bonny sat on the beach of Green Island, Hawaii, sipping a mai tai as she admired the view of the sunset. The sky began to turn crimson red, which helped dull the intense headache she suffered as a vampire up before dark.
She resided near what was thought to be an abandoned Coast Guard station, which secretly harbored her mansion underground and several paid servants and guards. Underneath a run-down airstrip lay a subterranean waterway where a submarine was docked. The submarine was used primarily for the human servants that needed to leave the island to fetch supplies or take vacations. The runway itself could still handle flight landings if a friend popped in for a visit.
Anne, like many vampires, was quite wealthy. Wise investments over enough time provided financial comfort that most well-to-do humans accumulated only through inheritance, corporate sharking, or a serendipitous blend of ideas, timing, and networking. The simple truth was, the duration of a human life was usually too short to build the financial stability to which most vampires were accustomed. Like most vampires, Anne chose not to flaunt her wealth. Going unnoticed made it easier to hide from humans. Peace and quiet was easy to obtain on a deserted island.
She had always loved tropical locations, and the Hawaiian Islands were so near the equator that the temperature almost never changed. She also loved sunsets so much that it was worth the suffering and slight risk of being out in the open before full dark. Green Island was primarily a bird sanctuary now, with the occasional monk seals that showed up on the beaches. Anne didn't hate animals, but she killed a few birds that had the audacity to crap on her head one afternoon. At night, her vampire presence kept them away. In case something happened to her human servants, she could call out to a seal for assistance.
She sang to herself, "My bonny lies over the ocean; my bonny lies over the sea..." She liked that song, even though it wasn't about her. As she sang and took another sip from her drink, she closed her eyes and grimaced in pain. This was a different kind of pain from that of a vampire out in the day. She knew that her estranged youngling John was in terrible danger and perhaps faced death. Despite the pain, she smiled and reclined easily on her lounger. "Serves the bastard right," she whispered to herself. "He was my biggest regret in life. His charms fooled me, and I made him one of us. It's time his life was brought to an end."
Anne sighed, feeling better as the sun dipped near the horizon. She thought of that spring day in 1834 Newfoundland. John was a handsome man who exuded charisma and confidence. A hundred and thirty years didn't seem so long ago. Time was relative when one was immortal. Still, she should have vetted John Snow and read his thoughts before turning him. But she was horny, hungry, and foolish. She not only bit him but kissed him afterwards with blood still on her lips. She didn't see the harm in turning a wealthy fisherman. She realized too late that he was married, and she vowed not to cause the destruction of his marriage. When she saw him shot and dropped into the ocean, she thought that was the end of him, but she was wrong once more. Fish, it seemed, didn't like the taste of vampires, and she learned that even a shot to the head and an injury to the brain would heal. Many years later, she heard of his rash actions, but didn't want to admit to the Council that she had caused the mess. Best let them deal with it in their own way.
Newfoundland had seemed like a good place for a pirate to go - Peter Easton, Black Bart, and George Fielding all had frequented the area in years gone by. She enjoyed her life as a pirate. She loved to capture booty, but didn't delight in slaughter.
Then she thought back to October, 1720, in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. She had been imprisoned there and convicted of piracy. Luckily she had dreamt of her own capture and had grown her belly in the two weeks prior, so as to appear pregnant. It was a simple matter then to 'plead the belly,' as it was known at the time, and receive a stay of execution. This stay gave her a chance to escape and resume her pirate career disguised as a man. By 1860, with Albert Hicks hung for piracy in the US, she knew it was time to stop. The world had changed, and she had to change with it. Riverboat gambling was easy money. She did enjoy being on the water and the attention men paid her.
Anne took another sip of her drink and concentrated. John was fortunate that the sun was about to set, and her powers were activated in time. A man in a white shirt and shorts came over to her. "Excuse me, mistress. May I get you another drink?"
Anne opened her eyes. "No, Charles, I'd like to be alone for a few minutes. Take away the glass and bring me my cell phone in a bit."
The man nodded. "As you wish." He took the glass and left.
Anne resumed her concentration, and John entered her mind fully. He thought to her, Anne. my dear, my own youngling Catherine and this motherfucker Joseph are about to kill me. If you ever cared for me, avenge my death. I am in Newfoundland, and I will give you my last images so you will know their faces.
Anne snorted and thought back, Go fuck yourself, John. I just wish you had died in 1834 instead of living this long. Anne received no reply, but did see through John's eyes at his moment of death. She saw a statue of Peter Pan, animals at his feet, and a lot of blood. She saw a woman with beautiful long, red curly hair who looked terribly wounded in her chest, and man who seemed to have been shot as he stabbed John with a sharpened wooden stick.
Anne gasped as her own chest hurt terribly for a second. And then she received one final thought from John. They are watching us.
Anne waited for the pain to fade and rubbed her chest right above her heart. She snorted again and grumbled to herself, "Tell me something I don't know."
With the sun gone down, she sat up and smiled, absently admiring her slim, athletic figure in her gold bikini. She tossed back her fiery red hair, kept straight at shoulder length. "My dear John," she said aloud, "your death, and these other vampires in Newfoundland, are enough to pique my interest."
The last remnants of the sun disappeared below the horizon, and Anne felt her senses fully come to life. She heard Charles' heartbeat and smelled the sweetness of his blood. As he approached, she stood and held out her hand for the phone. Charles said in his accustomed manner, "Are you hungry, mistress?" He passed her the phone and stretched his neck to one side.
Anne smiled. "Yes, Charles, you'll have the next few days off, as I will drain you deeply. Remember, until you pass out, that I liked to be fondled. I'll make certain Michael carries you to sickbay."
Charles nodded. "Of course, mistress. Thank you for choosing me tonight."
Anne took the phone and clipped in on the back of her bikini bottom. She took off Charles' shirt and sunk her teeth into his neck. He tasted lovely, with not a hint of drugs or alcohol, and had a pleasant taste of cinnamon in his blood. She also enjoyed his ministrations, but she became more excited at the thought of sex with another vampire. It had been too long since she'd enjoyed the company of others of her kind. Any vampire capable of destroying John must be worth my interest.
She drained Charles until his heartbeat started to slow and he drifted into unconsciousness. Anne cared for her servants, the way a pet owner cared for her animals, and she laid him gently on the sand. She took the cell phone out and punched in the mansion number. She didn't allow time for a greeting but simply stated, "Have a boat waiting on the southeastern end of Midway Island. I'll whistle loudly. Also, prepare the sub and head off for Honolulu. I'll be there in a few days. Make sure it has my weapons on board. Oh, and send Michael down to take Charles to sickbay. He'll need a few days off."
The reply came instantly. "Of course, mistress, right away."
Anne tucked the cell phone into Charles' right front pocket and, after a brief glance at the first stars that came into view, dived into the ocean. The water was warm against her cool skin. She could easily swim in the Arctic and break through ice if necessary, but this was much more pleasant. Fish, dolphins, sharks and the occasional whale all moved out of her way as she cut through the water like a knife. She had been an excellent swimmer as a human, and when she was turned, her swimming speed and skill reached legendary levels. She could easily swim thirty kilometers an hour at night and go for eight to ten hours with a belly full of blood. Like all vampires, she had an uncanny sense of direction and knew she was headed for Midway Island. She planned to reach it just before sunrise. Perhaps, when she got to Newfoundland, she would find a new companion or at least some friends. John had created Catherine, after all, and she did at least owe her an apology. She wondered if this Joseph had experienced a blood embrace. In any case, he had not done it with her.
It would take her weeks to get there this way, but she was in no rush. Anticipation was a wonderful thing, and time was certainly on her side.
About the Author:
Charles O'Keefe lives in the beautiful province of Newfoundland, Canada, with his wife and two feline 'children,' Jude and Esther.
He works in IT support and enjoys many hobbies and activities that include writing, reading, watching fantasy/science-fiction movies and television shows, gaming, poker, walking, Pilates, and of course fantasizing about vampires.
To find out more about Charles, go to Twitter and Facebook or visit his website.
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1 comments:
Thanks for a great and thoughtful review, I hope you'll enjoy book 2 as well :)
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